Category: El Camino de Santiago
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Reaching Santiago, Letting Go in La Coruña
Hiking Day 13, Pedrouzo to Santiago de Compostela: 13 miles I made a pact with my friends to leave Pedrouzo early before the crowd. We set off at 6:30 AM and it was slightly dark and foggy. The plan was to walk together, but the fast pace of my friends made my body ache quickly.…
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A Week of Galician Motivation
Ribadeo to Lourenza: 18 miles, 3K elevation gain… I thought I left the mountains behind! I started this very difficult day with no coffee. I sought my morning motivation from the contrasting smells: eucalyptus and cow manure. I had learned from The Camino Podcast that eucalyptus is invasive to Galicia. They are pretty and emit…
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Making My Own Camino
Leaving behind the Basque region in a rideshare, I gazed at what landscapes of Cantabria and Asturias I could see from the highway. While I know it was not a fraction of the beauty I could encounter if walking, it was still impressive and made me wish I was seeing it all by foot. Like…
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A “Rest” Day: 12 Miles in Gernika and Bilbao
I had wanted to walk half of the way to Gernika (Guernica) so that I could have time to tour the city and the Museum of Peace, as well as make it to Bilbao for dinner. Car or bus transfer across northern Spain to Ribadeo is easier through the larger cities, like Bilbao. However, planning…
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The Spanish Civil War and the Camino
Day 4, Mutriku to Erbera: ~10 miles, 1,745 ft gain The early part of the camino accentuated part of why I was on such a path. The logistics and unknowns with this kind of travel, but the sharp contrast with the purpose and simplicity of a pilgrimage, forced me to examine my anxiety over a…
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Follow the Red and White to Dragonstone
Day 3, Zumaia to Mutriku: ~12 miles, 2,500 ft gain I’m sure you can still picture the fantastical scenes in Game of Thrones. Much of the series was set in northern Spain, including the 60 million-year-old rock formation called the Flysch in Zumaia. This was the backdrop for the Targaryen’s homeland, Dragonstone and is a…
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Will Walk For Coffee
Day 2, San Sebastián to Zarautz: ~ 13.5 miles and 2,000 ft gain Who knew I would be in Spain and unable to have my first day’s coffee until 11 AM. I anticipated that finding early morning coffee would be a challenge and I learned quickly how late cafes usually open (usually 8 to 10…
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What did I get myself into?
Day 1, Irún to San Sebastian: 16 miles, 2,288 ft gain Seeing that first, half-hazard painted arrow in Irún was comforting and somewhat of a thrill. I finally felt the adventurous quest I was embarking on. That romance dampened quickly when I left the city behind, finally accessed a trail, and realized the sun was…
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From Tourist to Pilgrim
I stayed three total nights in San Sebastián and on the third day commenced my first hike without having to worry about carrying or transferring my bag. The beaches are fun and beautiful, with surfers flocking to the Gros side of the city. The pintxos scene is lively yet intimidating as a solo traveler. On…
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The Pilgrim Planner
Decision-making and logistical planning can be vexing on an enneagram 9. Leading up to my camino – later contrasted by the simplicity of the trail – this 9 was overstimulated! The first and biggest decision was which Camino to do. Just Google “map Camino routes”… there are many. Take a peek at my first post…
Maria Labbato, PhD 